Pioneering education in neonatal practice celebrates 20 years improving care for preterm babies

The programme itself was originally conceived in the 1980s by a multi-professional group of doctors and nurses from the Wessex region who developed the idea for providing an advanced clinical role for experienced neonatal clinical nurses.

A unique collaboration between the medical and nursing professions, the initiative resulted in the first recognised programme in the UK for ANNPs and provides the opportunity for senior clinical neonatal nurses to access theoretical training and preparation for the ANNP role.

A decade after the course began, an evaluation report provided confirmation that ANNPs delivered an effective alternative to the current models of care.

Today ANNPs provide a frontline service and positively impact on the care of preterm babies, inter-professional working and collaboration within neonatal units.

They are an integral part of the neonatal workforce and evidence suggests they are being employed in a variety of national settings.

Furthermore, the National Audit office report states that a number of them are now leading some small neonatal units.

Many alumni return to complete either the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice, introduced in 2004, or the unique new neonatal prescribing module available to qualified ANNPs from Southampton.

Susan Smith, the current ANNP lead within Health Sciences at the University of Southampton and part of the original development team, comments: "Fundamental to the success of this neonatal programme has been the commitment from key professional teams, the combination of medical, nursing and physiological experience and knowledge means the course is responsive to the needs of the workforce and provides a unique foundation for the on-going development of ANNPs.

"Ultimately though we hope that by providing high quality neonatal education and training we are helping to improve the quality and consistency of neonatal care provision."

Respected neonatal expert and Professor of Neonatology at University College London Neil Marlow comments: "I believe the development of ANNP training by the University of Southampton has been a very important factor in the promotion of quality neonatal care over the past 20 years and contributes significantly to improving outcomes for these vulnerable children."

To mark the 20 year anniversary the University is holding a celebratory neonatal conference on the 20^th September. In addition to welcoming ANNPs from across the UK there will also be an international faculty of neonatal speakers.